Guyon’s canal syndrome caused by mass effect after chronic dog bite hand injury
Jangyoun Choi1
, Jun Hyeok Lee2, Young Joon Jun1, Jong Yun Choi1
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
2Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
Keywords: Epidermal cyst, hypesthesia, injury, ulnar nerve compression syndrome, wound.
Abstract
Epidermal inclusion cysts are defined as dermal or subcutaneous epithelial cysts which are filled with keratin and lined with true epidermis. Although exceedingly rare, they can lead to pathological conditions, such as nerve compression syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a 59-year-old woman with ulnar nerve compression at the wrist due to dog bite hand injury. An epidermal inclusion cyst was located adjacent to the ulnar nerve, resulting in significant compression. Notably, no direct connection was observed between the cyst and ulnar nerve. Surgical resection of the cyst led to complete resolution of tingling in the patient’s middle and ring fingers. Although uncommon compared to the frequently reported causes of ulnar neuropathy, epidermal inclusion cysts should be considered as a differential diagnosis, particularly in patients with a history of repetitive wrist motion and trauma. A comprehensive diagnostic approach and tailored surgical interventions are needed to ensure good clinical outcomes in such cases.
Citation: Choi J, Lee JH, Jun YJ, Choi JY. Guyon’s canal syndrome caused by mass effect after chronic dog bite hand injury. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2025;36(2):456-460. Doi: 10.52312/jdrs.2025.2136.
Idea/concept, design, writing the article, references and fundings, materials: J.Y.C.; Control/ supervision, critical review: Y.J.J.; Data collection and/or processing, analysis and/or interpretation: J.H.L.; Literature review: J.C.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Catholic Medical Center Research Foundation made in the program year of 2024.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.